LETTER: Let’s leave the judgment to God

It is with some trepidation that I sit at my keyboard to take issue with the Rev. Bruce MacInnes, a man for whom I have enormous respect. Rev. MacInnes is starting at the wrong end of the problem.

There are more Christians on the planet than any other organized religion, but we disagree so frequently about so many things that our influence is fragmented and weak. If we could agree with each other and act as one, we would be unbeatable. Here’s a challenge, Rev. MacInnes.

Church membership is declining, and Christian churches are working hard to build their congregations. Reading his letter in Tuesday’s paper, I wondered how many of your readers would conclude that they might feel unwelcome at Rev. MacInnes’s church.

Rev. MacInnes is defending the institution of marriage, a tattered and damaged concept in our society. I would like to suggest instead that we defend and nurture the institution of the family. Families come in all sizes, shapes and colors but are defined by love, caring and sacrifice. Perhaps Rev. MacInnes could consider working toward the goal of providing a safe and nurturing family for every child.

I cannot believe that Christ would condone any action that promoted or codified bigotry and hatred, but unfortunately, the words and actions of well-meaning people like Rev. MacInnes do just that. As Christians, we have real and serious work to do, but we tend to get riled up about silly stuff like public prayer and don’t focus on the real problems. Let’s turn our attention toward eradicating hunger, finding a better way to solve our problems than war. Let’s love one another, learn to be merciful and leave the business of judgment to God. Let’s work to get our own house in order.